Climbing the steps to the second floor in UNC Wilmington’s Randall Library doesn’t usually lead to swear words, sex and drugs, but from September 22 to 28, these things were on display for all to see in a Banned Book exhibit. 

According to the UNCW library site, Banned Books Week is “an annual event celebrating the freedom to read… [highlighting] the value of free and open access to information bringing together the entire book community– librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers and readers of all types.”

This year the exhibit was a collaboration between Randall Library and the Department of English.

Michelle Manning, an English professor and the English in Action coordinator, worked with Randall Library to create a display for the second floor and chalkings around campus. Digital and Visual Media Coordinator John Crawford created the display.

Manning’s “Ways of Teaching Literature” class wrote the “blurbs” found in the display. These blurbs discuss the students’ favorite banned books. One of the underlying themes of her class is to use dark themes to motivate reluctant readers.

“Merely telling unmotivated readers that a book has been challenged or banned is enough to get them interested in reading,” Manning said. 

Manning says that she understands that some people object to children reading books they believe are too mature for them, and that it is important for both educators and parents to exercise common sense and to “know their audience.”

“One of my biggest complaints about book challenges concerns protestors who haven’t even read the entire book,” Manning said. “Instead, they are reacting to isolated topics, themes, words or sections when most ‘objectionable’ material makes sense in context of the entire text.” 

This year, Randall Library and the UNCW English Department invite students to visit the Banned Books exhibit and read the blurbs about students’ favorite books.